PREMIER Ewart Brown has been charged with paying off political debts in hard cash following the creation of several high-profile Governmental posts.The allegation was made following the appointment of Rolfe Commissiong as Government's race relations advisor — a job which it is understood will earn Mr. Commissiong nearly $100,000 a year.

Last night United Bermuda Party deputy leader Michael Dunkley slammed the appointment, saying it was just another example of "jobs for the boys".

Mr. Commissiong, who took up the post on Monday, has been directed to "conduct a full review of the Young Black Male Study, undertake in-depth research on the plight of young black males in Bermuda and provide recommendations with respect to implementing programmes and initiatives to address the current predicament of this targeted group". Prior to his appointment, the Progressive Labour Party member campaigned for Dr. Brown in his bid for the party leadership.

When asked yesterday if rumours that he was now picking up a $98,000 pay packet, Mr. Commissiong would only say: "I can't speak to that." He dismissed UBP criticism, claiming the Opposition was "desperate".

But Mr. Dunkley described it as "the latest example of PLP cronyism and another step toward a Presidential-style executive in the Cabinet Office".

"The Commissiong appointment is more about the Premier paying off political debts from his leadership coup than it is about race relations," Mr. Dunkley said.

"This is nothing personal — I would say the same thing if it were my own brother who had been appointed. And we have no problem with the Premier appointing the people he needs to take care of policies.

"But I have yet to see a clear outline of what this gentleman is going to be doing and whether he will be providing value for money. For the Premier to say that he will be studying a study is ludicrous.

"We have suddenly got a flood of new people in Government which increases the tax burden on everyone — and Bermudians are paying too much as it is.

"The appointment ignores the fact that the Government of Bermuda has highly professional civil servants and a Cabinet Minister to deal with this vital issue. It also seems to continue the 'do-nothing' approach to government that Dr. Brown says he wants to avoid rather than the 'high gear' approach he promised last Friday.

"According to the Premier's press secretary, Mr. Commissiong's first order of business is to study the Young Black Male Study and to "recommend implementing programmes and initiatives to address the current predicament of this targeted group".

"The fact that the Government is appointing Mr. Commissiong to study a study on an issue they have had full knowledge of since coming to power in 1998 says much about their continuing and chronic inability to meet the needs of the people. The Premier was right during the Throne Speech debate when he said his Government was in 'neutral gear'.

"We're not sure of Mr. Commissiong's qualifications for the job, but believe that programmes to help young black males can be put together fairly quickly through a team approach that brings to the table Bermudians of reputation and wide experience. There are plenty of role models who could draw on their diverse experiences to come up with the programmes and initiatives to help young black males.

"The Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs and civil servants can handle the job of soliciting their views and putting together a programme. As Dr. Brown said when forming his Cabinet at the end of October, the design of race relations programmes 'come out of the Ministry of Community and Cultural Affairs'. Mr. Commissiong is not necessary to the task.

"But Premier Brown appears to be more interested in turning the Cabinet Office into Bermuda's version of The West Wing, which he can use as a platform for presidential-style government that is fundamentally about him as the star of a one-man show."